Lunar Chronicles One-Shots
by keelafairie
Summary: Just a book of TLC one-shots!
1. Info and Table of Contents

So I've been wanting to start so many new fanfictions it's not even funny

(Auto-correct kept trying to turn "fanfictions" into "FANFICTIONS"... oops...)

But me being me, I haven't updated most of my current ones in forever since I'm an unreliable procrastinating idiot.

My solution?

A book of Lunar Chronicles one-shots!

And for the first time in forever — que the frozen music — I'm taking requests!

I'm pretty laid back when it comes to writing, so I'm willing to accept pretty much anything (as long as it can be classed as PG-13, you can go find lemons/limes elsewhere).

You can request AUs, crossovers, unpopular ships, even crossover ships! I won't mind. As long as I've seen/read the other show/book I'd be willing to write it. (Also I watch an insane amount of anime, so those crossovers/AUs have a high probability of making it).

I'm also fine with writing girlXgirl, and possibly boyXboy (I'm terrible with writing guy characters). You may also request a characterXreader (because I know we all secretly want to date Thorne), and I'm fine with doing things like ghoul!reader or mermaid!reader (though those might be classed as AUs).

Anyway, just request anything! If you're afraid of hate for what you ship (as long as it's not too extreme) just DM me and I will see if I can write it!

Requests will probably always be open, so request away!

2) Emiko- Mermaid AU

3) Kaider- Avatar AU

4) Cresswell- It's Over, Isn't It?


	2. Émiko- Mermaid AU

Guess who was inspired after listening to the Descendants 2 soundtrack and finally finished this first one-shot?

Anyway, I recently discovered Émiko and fell in love with it.

So, enjoy this fluff!

Also, I'm not very good at French, so I apologize if I got a few things (or everything) wrong.

 **T** here where people on the beach.

 _Her_ beach.

No one ever came here, so what were they doing?

It was a rather large group, that much was quite easy for Iko to see from her position on the rocks a small ways from where the surf met sand. And one girl was straying from the group, a smile on her face as she ran towards the blue water.

She shouted something in their strange land-people language, and bent down to pick something up from the shallows.

Iko's hand flew up to her blue hair, and panic filled her body as she searched frantically through the shallow water surrounding her. Her hair clip was gone; her favorite pin that was made from the finest coral in the Caribbean. And it was currently in the possession of the strange blonde girl.

This was a nightmare.

She briefly considered casting a siren spell on the girl, making her run out into the waves and drop the small pin, but she quickly dismissed the idea. It would draw attention.

Another girl called out to the blonde one.

" _Émilie,_ " the scarlet-headed one said, " _Avez-vous crème solaire?_ "

" _Non,_ " the blonde girl called back, " _demander Ze'ev!_ "

" _Oui!_ "

The blonde girl turned back to the water, and Iko began turning back to sea. The language they spoke sounded like french, but she didn't know that much of it. The only human languages she could speak fluently were Spanish and English, the two most common she heard when near the shore.

A sudden gasp startled the mermaid, causing the mergirl to slip on the rocks and into the water, cutting her arm.

The blonde girl stood over her, and Iko felt terror fill her veins.

They stood there for a few seconds, before Iko moved quickly, slipping away in the shallow water and swimming as fast as she could.

She had been stupid to remain there for so long after the humans arrived, she hadn't even been able to warm up as she'd forgotten to pull herself out of the water completely and allow her tail to see the sun. Now she was stuck with having to move constantly unless she wanted to catch a cold. Maybe she should just venture to the surface at night, then she wouldn't have to worry about the colder deep waters.

By the time she returned to the surface the sun had set, and the full moon was rising high above the dark waters and shinning moonlight on the empty beach. The people appeared to be gone, or so Iko thought.

The blonde girl came into view as she swum to the sand, and Iko let her curiosity overtake her.

"Who are you?" the mermaid demanded, "How did you find this beach?"

The blonde girl gasped at the sight of the mermaid, stumbling back and tripping on her heels into a thump on the sand. The girl recovered quickly, however, and slowly made her way to the edge of the water where Iko lay.

"Y-you're a mermaid!" she managed to stutter in awe, her voice holding a heavy accent.

"Yes, and you're a human," Iko replied, "I wish I were a human, they always seem to have much more fun on land."

"And what might your name be?" the girl asked.

"Iko, and yours?"

"Émilie."

Iko had never seen a human like this before, she was nothing like the humans in her stories, nothing like what her father described.

The small fascination and awkwardness of their encounter quickly faded as Iko asked what it was like on land, and Émilie replied as helpfully as she could.

"What is a fire?" the mermaid asked excitedly.

"Well, it's a flame of heat, where something gets so hot that it begins to burn." she explained, "It can be used for heat in the winter, and light at night."

Before either of them knew it, the sun was rising, and Iko wasn't nearly satisfied with the short time.

"How long are you going to be here?" Iko asked as the first rays of dawn appeared over the ocean.

"We are to stay here for a week in our friend's beach house, is there another time I can meet you?"

"Go to the starfish caves at sundown the tide doesn't rise enough to cover the path." she explained, pointing to a cliff around a mile down the beach.

"I will be there."

The week passed before long, and Émilie was set to leave back home to France. It was at this certain night that Iko made a decision. She would allow the girl to join her under the waves, if only for a few hours.

There was only a single problem, to give a human the ability to breath would cost her voice for an undetermined span of time.

Iko was positive in her decision.

When Émilie went down to the caves that night, all she heard was singing, a small golden light flowing from where the mermaid stood into the hair pin that Émilie had found that day on the beach, the one Iko had insisted that she'd keep.

The singing silenced when it entered the hair pin.

The mermaid held out a single hand to the human, and Émilie took it. She joined the mermaid under the water without hesitation.

What surprised the girl was that when she opened her eyes, there was no salty sting, no blurry vision, it was clear. Everything had the faint tint of white-blue, as if a cloudy filter had been placed upon her eyes. Starfish lined the sides of the underwater cave, a million glowing colors lighting the cave. In her awe, she found herself accidentally releasing her breath, she clamped her hands quickly over her mouth and nose.

Iko swum over to her, gently pulling her hands away and kissing her softly on the lips. Émilie unconsciously took in a deep breath, surprised to see that she was alive and fine.

Breathing underwater had a strange feel, almost as if she were inhaling snow. It was cold, yet comforting, like she was drinking icy water after staying outside in 100°f heat.

Iko smiled at Émilie's awed expression, taking her hand and leading her out of the cave, swimming to the nearby reefs. Her tail brushing the coral and causing a million glowing lights to appear, spreading down the entire area.

It was amazing, and Émilie never wanted to leave, she didn't want that moment to end.

It was as if she'd never lived until that moment.

Too soon it ended, the lights faded as soon as the sun rose, and as more and more light appeared the harder it was to breath.

Iko brought her to the surface, pulling the girl to the sand. Émilie stood, removing the hair pin and holding it out to the mermaid, a smile on her face as she whispered a single line.

" _Thank you._ "

Iko simply curled Émilie's hand around the hair pin, the little mermaid smiling sadly as she heard the other people making their way to the beach.

If only she wasn't a mermaid.

If only the cost for last night wasn't her voice.

If only she could join the girl she fell in love with on land.

If only this wasn't just some silly dream.

Before the others could arrive, Iko slipped under the waves and down to the bottom of the ocean, where she belonged, where she would always be.


	3. Kaider- Avatar AU

p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="9c9e7b8bdebdd31bd1b19f09246d0669"Here is the long-awaited Avatar AU! I had it taking place in a more modern avatar world, one similar to Korra's. I'm sorry for how short it is, I plan on having this a continued mini-story, this chapter is pretty much just letting people know who is who and who has what bending powers./p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="9c9e7b8bdebdd31bd1b19f09246d0669" /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="e7e9be43b5190f9b41a9eff1c968b07a"I hope y'all enjoy!br /br /br /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="e7e9be43b5190f9b41a9eff1c968b07a" /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="e7e9be43b5190f9b41a9eff1c968b07a" /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="47be0c8500cd59fd2e610805d3f3907d"strong←/strongstrong →/strongbr /br /br /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="47be0c8500cd59fd2e610805d3f3907d" /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="47be0c8500cd59fd2e610805d3f3907d" /p  
p data-p-id="a300d4bebebc175e4e87b99f0167dcb7"strong"/strongstrongemURGH!/em/strongstrong"/strong/p  
p data-p-id="a300d4bebebc175e4e87b99f0167dcb7" /p  
p data-p-id="f5120cf5f6a7b677458c29959a322fdb"Fire shot out across the arena, flaming bits of practice dummies flying across the room and rolling down the floor./p  
p data-p-id="f5120cf5f6a7b677458c29959a322fdb" /p  
p data-p-id="6783aed895f6c82ba1ee89a412ee14b4""em'No Cinder, you are the Avatar, you can't spend your time watching pro-bending on tv.'/em" she mocked, letting herself fall back onto the matted floor with a sharp smack./p  
p data-p-id="6783aed895f6c82ba1ee89a412ee14b4" /p  
p data-p-id="632c53c67f4894f83db068bae16999fa"She heard the concerned purr of a dragon, and looked to the window to see just that./p  
p data-p-id="632c53c67f4894f83db068bae16999fa" /p  
p data-p-id="40fc3e3644ab4921f878f4a6e94fd50d""Sorry, Iko, did I startle you?" she asked, and the words of the said dragon filled the room in a mystic way./p  
p data-p-id="40fc3e3644ab4921f878f4a6e94fd50d" /p  
p data-p-id="249d82027bc2c3c47dc749ed95ffbdce"emAre you okay, Cinder? You've been murdering mannequins for the past three hours./em/p  
p data-p-id="249d82027bc2c3c47dc749ed95ffbdce" /p  
p data-p-id="296c83d96419c4796a774109faa7abe1"Cinder pulled herself up, letting a laugh escape her lips as she made her way to her friend, "Yeah, just pissed about 'emresponsibility/em'."/p  
p data-p-id="296c83d96419c4796a774109faa7abe1" /p  
p data-p-id="cf5429b1acb5894eabdca6bf3ee7db5b"emI can always just take you to the arena if you want to see the game that badly,/em she offered, causing the Avatar to smirk as she checked her port./p  
p data-p-id="cf5429b1acb5894eabdca6bf3ee7db5b" /p  
p data-p-id="a62e6a5dce08350a5ea928309bf9df1b""The game is scheduled to start in ten minutes, think you can get us across the cove without being seen?"/p  
p data-p-id="a62e6a5dce08350a5ea928309bf9df1b" /p  
p data-p-id="8d9420285cb815622bd7bd9446e356e2"emPlease,/em the blue dragon purred, emsneaking around is just one of my many talents./em/p  
p data-p-id="8d9420285cb815622bd7bd9446e356e2" /p  
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a9e77405367031f9b277e9a280fa8407""Just how many talents do you have?"/p  
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a9e77405367031f9b277e9a280fa8407" /p  
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a1ddf15cfc3995cf79c45aca0db26adc"emA lot./em/p  
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a1ddf15cfc3995cf79c45aca0db26adc" /p  
p data-p-id="630e79dabe239640208c2042a04bf54b"Cinder glanced at the door quickly, hearing no footsteps or voices, and turned to face Iko once more. Without saying a single thing, she jumped out the window and onto Iko's back, happy to feel the familiar shift of scales underneath her palms as the dragon moved in complete silence. She lowered them down to the water's surface, blending with the midnight-blue and allowing Cinder to shift the tides so that they were in a constant indention in the waves, out of sight to anyone willing to look./p  
p data-p-id="630e79dabe239640208c2042a04bf54b" /p  
p data-p-id="bc4d9e9e7012ac4b6aa4f8066c96c1f7"They reached the mainland quickly, Cinder pulling up the gloves on her hands, hiding the small shine of metal from her prosthetic hand (rebels caused a fire in her nursery when she was three — it's a long story). She hopped off of Iko, rolling into the bushes at the side of the water before beginning her climb along the vines that grew on the side of the building./p  
p data-p-id="bc4d9e9e7012ac4b6aa4f8066c96c1f7" /p  
p data-p-id="d3b8deb8f014edf91a64dde03fbd4ca9"emYou know I could easily just fly you up there./em/p  
p data-p-id="d3b8deb8f014edf91a64dde03fbd4ca9" /p  
p data-p-id="9b3c868ad0ede9606bec57100705442d""I'm emsure/em no one would notice a large blue dragon hovering in front of a wall of green."/p  
p data-p-id="9b3c868ad0ede9606bec57100705442d" /p  
p data-p-id="4727e24888f2b0cd11edf82806140ff9"A small grumble could be heard, You don't have to be so mean about it.../p  
p data-p-id="4727e24888f2b0cd11edf82806140ff9" /p  
p data-p-id="df15a3408469273050141742245bdd48"Cinder pulled herself up onto the railing, "Yeah, well, sorry Iko."/p  
p data-p-id="df15a3408469273050141742245bdd48" /p  
p data-p-id="8de7c9f75457935986248d5a00d385c5"He dragon suddenly shot up in a distressed wail, emWait, Cinder! You have ash on your forehead!/em/p  
p data-p-id="8de7c9f75457935986248d5a00d385c5" /p  
p data-p-id="3cf28ae334680979ce2454d08b5e16b0""Iko!" Cinder groaned, quickly wiping her forehead and swinging down into the ivy./p  
p data-p-id="3cf28ae334680979ce2454d08b5e16b0" /p  
p data-p-id="21da0dcb75af26d634e2b56a15386c63"She heard people rushing about in the building, and Iko flew off quickly. Cinder silenced her laughs as they watched the sky in amazement./p  
p data-p-id="21da0dcb75af26d634e2b56a15386c63" /p  
p data-p-id="1bb347724e90764b726f7a867d0b9cd0""It's Avatar Selene's dragon!"/p  
p data-p-id="1bb347724e90764b726f7a867d0b9cd0" /p  
p data-p-id="c2b6fed9b6ca387fff1b679d9f134311""Oh my stars, she's so cool!"/p  
p data-p-id="c2b6fed9b6ca387fff1b679d9f134311" /p  
p data-p-id="eceef804ed8537f23beb88aba5008cfd"Letting the footsteps fade away, Cinder pulled herself up again, entering the building and silently making her way to the stage./p  
p data-p-id="eceef804ed8537f23beb88aba5008cfd" /p  
p data-p-id="1f7a9447166254de92d3774b275983d1"She suddenly heard a squeal from behind her, before being tackled in a hug./p  
p data-p-id="1f7a9447166254de92d3774b275983d1" /p  
p data-p-id="584b697c9c44efeea0220b29426dff7b""Selene-friend, you came!" a light and airy voice can from behind her, the perfect kind of voice for the young airbender./p  
p data-p-id="584b697c9c44efeea0220b29426dff7b" /p  
p data-p-id="6bde554b5cfc018d96a4865e2bc52594""Of course I did, Winter, do you really think those monks would stop me from making it?"/p  
p data-p-id="6bde554b5cfc018d96a4865e2bc52594" /p  
p data-p-id="4b0c8db6129232ef2af7abc76741b62f"The girl bounced around to the front of the avatar, "I can't wait for you to see The Rampion Crew again! It's been forever since we all got to hang out last."/p  
p data-p-id="4b0c8db6129232ef2af7abc76741b62f" /p  
p data-p-id="0085e2ece548c8bae2936d9df123602d""I know! How are they? Has Cress gained much confidence in her waterbending? She's insanely talented, but prefers spending her time online instead of out in the water."/p  
p data-p-id="0085e2ece548c8bae2936d9df123602d" /p  
p data-p-id="feaa8ddb6da24e0ca319a060db6c7542""She's improved so much! She's almost unstoppable, along with Ze'ev. Have you had the chance to watch their combined attacks? They're good enough to win even without Scarlet's firepower!"/p  
p data-p-id="feaa8ddb6da24e0ca319a060db6c7542" /p  
p data-p-id="54f43f184ad734eb9bd234b659484fa2"The two laughed and talked, beginning to make their way to where the team was preparing for their match, "And — I'm almost afraid to ask — but how's Thorne doing?"/p  
p data-p-id="54f43f184ad734eb9bd234b659484fa2" /p  
p data-p-id="672a335a75b1b3317045746d99c49ef7"Winter smiled, "He finally gained the confidence to ask Cress out!"/p  
p data-p-id="672a335a75b1b3317045746d99c49ef7" /p  
p data-p-id="9c21b4d08aa9d34eee61602d9fef0265""That's amazing!" Cinder laughed, "And please tell me Jacin stopped trying to be your 'cool and quiet guard'."/p  
p data-p-id="9c21b4d08aa9d34eee61602d9fef0265" /p  
p data-p-id="859484185ee5bf046e596fa685848f70""He's just worried about me, there aren't that many airbenders at the moment-"/p  
p data-p-id="859484185ee5bf046e596fa685848f70" /p  
p data-p-id="44f0c14e816d9c33c6ddd39a3dac4321""-so he uses his firebending to protect you." Cinder sighed. "I see that situation hasn't changed."/p  
p data-p-id="44f0c14e816d9c33c6ddd39a3dac4321" /p  
p data-p-id="dc70175851812cee697e50800d5e7205"They arrived at the prep room for the match, and Winter opened the door cheerily. Cress was sitting on the bench next to Thorne, and Wolf, Jacin, and Scarlet were standing in the middle of the small room, possibly discussing strategies./p  
p data-p-id="dc70175851812cee697e50800d5e7205" /p  
p data-p-id="81d7b24c9e07fa1d8e5afa744f65c215""Look who came!" Winter called, alerting everyone./p  
p data-p-id="81d7b24c9e07fa1d8e5afa744f65c215" /p  
p data-p-id="90740d803e49a3c2980e390e5d737b9d"The group smiled, tackling Cinder in a large group hug./p  
p data-p-id="90740d803e49a3c2980e390e5d737b9d" /p  
p data-p-id="5bf90000138c264a2d67c62615d683cd"She smiled, emshe really had missed them./embr /br /p  
p data-p-id="5bf90000138c264a2d67c62615d683cd" /p  
p data-p-id="5bf90000138c264a2d67c62615d683cd" /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="6478cde05f7aca6b23f5d18cf903ca7d"strong• • •/strongbr /br /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="6478cde05f7aca6b23f5d18cf903ca7d" /p  
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="6478cde05f7aca6b23f5d18cf903ca7d" /p  
p data-p-id="2ea170aadda38dbab65be52bd3d6ff13""I'll be back before the next match starts, I'm just going to the bathroom!" Cinder called to a concerned Winter, "No one's going to see me, I'll be fine!"/p  
p data-p-id="2ea170aadda38dbab65be52bd3d6ff13" /p  
p data-p-id="709b117c7c2855e50e273f86f6986672"So far The Rampion Wolves were winning, just one more match and it'd be confirmed. They were planning on going out to dinner afterwards, so Cinder decided it would be best to try altering her appearance a bit, maybe turn the bandages that lay under her gloves into a headband, or take down her ponytail./p  
p data-p-id="709b117c7c2855e50e273f86f6986672" /p  
p data-p-id="902d6233af69828d95f8aad040ffb77c"Suddenly she heard footsteps, and she quickly pulled up the hood of her jacket./p  
p data-p-id="902d6233af69828d95f8aad040ffb77c" /p  
p data-p-id="bc6ea0fa6e169d3a5dd1f7a5d813c26b"emOh for the love of Omashu /empleaseem don't be anyone who knows me, /emshe thought./p  
p data-p-id="bc6ea0fa6e169d3a5dd1f7a5d813c26b" /p  
p data-p-id="4d0d75fdb08acf36f63beb317fc98b47"The figure turned the corner, and Cinder froze when she saw who it was./p  
p data-p-id="4d0d75fdb08acf36f63beb317fc98b47" /p  
p data-p-id="4eddf4356d5d97d12068a5fac2c5e7fc"He lifted his head, catching her gaze./p  
p data-p-id="4eddf4356d5d97d12068a5fac2c5e7fc" /p  
p data-p-id="c0359f5726fd5bdb100f68e5753e16b8"His eyes widened./p  
p data-p-id="c0359f5726fd5bdb100f68e5753e16b8" /p  
p data-p-id="9ed338c3c486dc2a3d9de5deea26f34e"Standing before her was none other than Prince Kai of Ba Sing Se./p  
p data-p-id="9ed338c3c486dc2a3d9de5deea26f34e" /p  
p data-p-id="0f218dc1bf6bc391d355866fef69d2f5"A chorus of "Cinder!" and "Kai!" rung out quite loudly throughout the hall, and the two of the quickly silenced themselves, before rushing into a large hug./p  
p data-p-id="0f218dc1bf6bc391d355866fef69d2f5" /p  
p data-p-id="ea3993bcf5185d772b3b950d9388bff1""I haven't seen you since your Earthbending training back home!"/p  
p data-p-id="ea3993bcf5185d772b3b950d9388bff1" /p  
p data-p-id="0818dc747f630011ff7010998ad241b6""I know, right?" Cinder started, "Are there still protests about the next king inheriting firebending instead of earthbending?"/p  
p data-p-id="0818dc747f630011ff7010998ad241b6" /p  
p data-p-id="dbe77d6944135ab5151e7dead832be23""They're not as bad as they were a few years ago. So how are you doing? I heard the monks decided you needed more diplomatic training, in order to take care of problems with the spirits and rebels."/p  
p data-p-id="dbe77d6944135ab5151e7dead832be23" /p  
p data-p-id="3c6cd3072d25eaf550a66bbc839fc3f6"Cinder groaned, "Apparently I'm too 'violent' to become a full-fledged avatar just yet, I had to get Iko to sneak me to the game."/p  
p data-p-id="3c6cd3072d25eaf550a66bbc839fc3f6" /p  
p data-p-id="d77278f9458471525444153af1e17306"Kai laughed at her statement, "Well, to be fair, you did throw your shoe at your earthbending master quite a few times. You even once threw your emfoot/em at me."/p  
p data-p-id="d77278f9458471525444153af1e17306" /p  
p data-p-id="605a156470ac40ba8dba0e44179438f1"Laughing at the memory, they started walking. The game completely slipped their minds as they spoke./p  
p data-p-id="605a156470ac40ba8dba0e44179438f1" /p  
p data-p-id="7ef0e111e8a53918a9f5e05f62d1c2c2"When they heard the announcement of the next round starting, the two panicked, jetting to the prep room as fast as they could./p  
p data-p-id="7ef0e111e8a53918a9f5e05f62d1c2c2" /p  
p data-p-id="f73d3f351d9fe8dd586527250148eca9"The Rampion Crew Wolves won of course, qualifying for the finals that were going to be held in two weeks./p  
p data-p-id="f73d3f351d9fe8dd586527250148eca9" /p  
p data-p-id="e58c169b41ce857525ab62926e9cbbba"Cinder smiled as she watched her friends return from the arena. She really was lucky, both as an avatar and as a teenager./p  
p data-p-id="e58c169b41ce857525ab62926e9cbbba" /p  
p data-p-id="f6598395f7b736085c2a084c2da62eee"She hoped that this never had to change./p 


	4. Cresswell- It's Over, Isn't It?

Please don't murder me for this.

Prior warning- LOTS of angst, and a little death.

So if you've been following me on Instagram, you'd know that recently I've been very, very obsessed with Steven Universe, and there's this song in it that's just beautiful in every way, and it's called "It's Over, Isn't It?" where my favorite character (Pearl) sings about the sorrows she'd been holding inside since Rose gave up her form/physical existence to create Steven. (Not really a spoiler, since it's kinda the base of the show, and common knowledge throughout)

Me being me, I decided to write a one-shot, my first ever song-fic! My apologies if it's terrible!

Also, something you should know, this is an AU where instead of falling in love with Cress, Thorne only grew to love her like a little sister.

So yeah, my first Cresswell one-shot is full of angst. Because, you know, "it's over, isn't it?

 _I was fine_

The temperature was mild on Luna, the controlled climate almost identical to that of the satellite that once kept her prisoner.

 _With the women_

Butterflies squirmed within her stomach, the faint sensation of nausea crawling at her throat. A small corset clutched loosely at her thin ribs, and a gown filled with blue, silver, and gold flowed out around her.

 _Who would come into his life now and again._

It was a beautiful dress, for a beautiful occasion.

 _I was fine,_

A wedding.

 _'Cause I knew_

To be specific, Thorne's wedding.

 _That they never really mattered_

Not hers.

 _Until you._

A military ship was scheduled to arrive, and since Cinder, Kai, Jacin, Scarlet, Wolf, and Winter were busy preparing the formal ceremony she was unanimously elected to greet him and his lucky bride. Kate Fallow, who was soon to be Kate Thorne.

 _I was fine_

Cress hated her, mostly due to the fact that she couldn't bring herself to hate her.

 _When you came,_

She was perfect in every way for him, the way she knew everything there was to know about him without having to hack into secure military bases, the way their relationship had appeared to bloom even before they knew the first thing about dating.

 _And we laughed like it was all some silly game_

It hadn't been the cleanest start to a relationship, and it had been Crescent's idea to contact her in the first place. She'd wanted to get to know more about Carswell's childhood, and after hearing their short and cute story, it seemed only right for them to become friends again.

 _Over him,_

What she didn't see was how awful it would become, how a simple act of kindness could backfire so cruelly.

 _Who'd he choose,_

She still loved him.

 _After all these years_

He still loved her.

 _I never thought I'd loose_

When the ship arrived they spoke for a few minutes, before they were led off by a servant. Laughing at the simplest of things, the two of them brimming with excitement for what their life held ahead of them.

 _It's over, isn't it?_

Cress sat in silence at the ceremony the next day, acting like her happy and sweet little self. Standing next to Kate as she took her vows. She was the maid of honor, after all. It only made sense since she was the one who'd brought them together.

 _Isn't it?_

The happy couple kissed, being the first earthen couple to marry on Luna in who knows how long.

 _Isn't it over?_

A few months passed before it was announced that Kate was expecting a child. And another few months passed before it was announced to be a boy.

 _It's over, isn't it?_

And another few months passed before it was announced to be a boy.

 _Isn't it?_

Preparations for the child filled the war heroes with joy and excitement.

 _Isn't it over?_

Cinder and Kai even considered having a child of their own, so the small version of Thorne would have a playmate.

 _You won,_

When the child was born, Thorne and Kate elected Cress to be the godmother, proudly trusting their small baby's life with the girl they both thought of as part of their family.

 _And he chose you,_

The child was only a year old when the accident happened. It was during a birthday ceremony that took place at the Artemisia palace, when a group of rebels against Luna becoming a republic set off bombs throughout the ballroom.

 _And he loved you,_

Cress wasn't present at the time. The small birthday boy had fallen asleep, so she was headed to the newer nursery in order to put him to sleep. When the explosions went off she rushed back to the party. But the damage was done. It was an attack without many casualties, but the great Carswell Thorne was among them.

 _And he's gone._

The funeral was a blur to Cress, the only love she'd ever know left lying dead before her eyes, his handsome face halfway covered in gruesome, blistering burns that even funeral makeup couldn't cover fully.

 _It's over, isn't it?_

Cress spent the next year or so stuck in her chambers, editing the palace's security to make sure nothing like this would ever happened again. Sleep was becoming a foreign thing for her, and she would sometimes work for days while running on caffeine alone. After all, it was her fault the attack happened in the first place, wasn't it?

 _Why can't I move on?_

Struck with grief and self-doubt, Kate handed their small child to Cress to take care of. Kate didn't know she would be able to raise the child as a single mother, and didn't trust herself with the task of protecting him.

 _War and glory,_

It wasn't long after that that a small civil war on Luna broke out, the rebel's goal being to prevent the Queen to give up her position in favor of a president. Somehow thinking that killing countless innocent people would change Cinder's mind.

 _Reinvention._

The war didn't last long. Kai sent the strongest forces of Commonwealth's army to protect the capital. Amongst the turmoil, the small child of Thorne and Kate grew to resemble Carswell quite shockingly.

 _Fusion, freedom,_

Kate left Luna shortly after the microscopic war ended, knowing that the entire group wouldn't stay there for long. The plans to make Luna a republic were almost complete, after that Cinder would move to live with Kai. The only one with actual reasons to stay were Winter, Jacin, and possibly Cress. After all, she'd already spent a large amount of time traveling with Thorne before he reunited with Kate.

 _His attention._

When Cinder left, Cress and the child left with her. Cress bought a small house not far from the New Beijing palace. One with a large yard and an already existing garden with plants and flowers from all around the world.

 _Out in daylight,_

When Cinder and Kai announced they were expecting a child, they asked her personally to create a new security system for the castle. They wanted only the best for their future child.

 _My potential._

Cress agreed, spending daylight hours taking care of Thorne's child, and the night hours when he slept designing the best security programming possible.

 _Bold,_

She was not giving herself any room for mistake.

 _Precise,_

Not allowing any possibly entrance to be left vulnerable.

 _Experimental._

She found that she was loosing herself in her work. She was doing what she was told. She hadn't checked up on any net dramas or gossip feeds in who knows how long, only paying attention to what the child liked.

 _Who am I now in this world without him?_

He had taken a liking to a show about a crew of exiled superheroes saving the earth from power-hungry moon-dwelling super villains. She resisted the urge to tell him the story of the revolution the silly drama was based off of. At times she wondered why she even kept it up. Kate checked in at least once every week, whether it was in a direct video-com or an actual visit where she played with the child. He was now 3, and even acted like a miniature Thorne. Would he have wanted this life for the boy?

 _Petty and dull, with the nerve to doubt him._

Some nights she found herself drawn to the old articles about him. Hacking into the military base again to view his files, visiting old gossip site and fan bases from the revolution. And she found herself crying, crying from all that could've been, and from what she would never have the chance to have.

 _What does it matter? It's already done._

But she would always wake up, always play with the miniature Thorne like nothing was wrong, like her heart didn't hurt whenever she looked at him, like he was the only thing ever on her mind.

 _Now I have to be there for his son._

When Cinder had her child — a baby girl — frequent visits were made to the palace, both for updating security and letting the two children become aquatinted with each other.

 _It's over, isn't it?_

Kate would often visit with them, playing with the two children while Cress worked.

 _Isn't it?_

Years passed, and the children grew. The son would start school soon, and Cress was happy that she had the opportunity to help him with stuff she was good at.

 _Isn't it over?_

Kate showed up at her door on the first day of kindergarten, and simply said she was taking him to school when Cress asked why.

 _It's over, isn't it?_

Kate brought him home at the end of the day, laughing with her son before telling him to go put his stuff in his room. She then pulled Cress aside into the living room.

 _Isn't it?_

She wanted Cress to know that she was considering taking up custody of her child again.

 _Isn't it over?_

Kate was worried that Cress should focus more on work, since she was involved directly with the royal family. That Crescent didn't have the time to worry about raising a child.

 _You won,_

Cress didn't have the heart to tell her that her son was one of the only reasons she did anything other than work.

 _And he chose you,_

A few months later, the boy was packed up and waiting on the porch for his mother to pick him up.

 _And he loved you,_

For the first time she realized just how big the hole in her heart was without Carswell or his son.

 _And he's gone._

They always visited on holidays. They always included her in the gathering of the war heroes, on the large birthday parties that she threw for him when he made countless friends.

 _It's over, isn't it?_

One day Kate announced that they were moving back to the US, where both Carswell and her grew up.

 _Why can't I move on?_

When there was a security breach a year later, she spent weeks trying to find the motives of the people who'd attempted to invade the palace. They wanted the Lunars in Commonwealth dead. She fixed the security problem at the palace, not once considering that she would also be considered valuable. She hadn't updated, or even fixed any bugs in her own home's security since Kate took her son back.

 _It's over, isn't it?_

She was shocked that she wasn't even able to fight back when they came for her. That she was in a tired haze, and by the time she realized what was happening the knife was already wedged deeply into her chest. But she felt no pain, just regret. Regret at never saying anything, regret at letting Thorne die, regret at calling Kate in the first place, and regret for letting her take away the one piece of Thorne she had left; the one piece of Carswell she had left. A single tear escaped her eyes as the men vanished, and she was barely able to process the sirens in the distance, the silent shouting as Cinder and Kai appeared over her. Her vision faded, and voices turned to nothing as the figure of Thorne appeared overhead. Finally. Finally she was free, free to be with the one she truly loved.

 _Why can't I move on?_

Also, (adding this the day after publishing), since I've see the AMAZING response this chapter has had, I only have one question.

Yeah, I know it was a tragedy, but it's only a fanfic...

What's the use of feeling blue?


End file.
